‘Apprehensive’ Tyrann Mathieu still trying to clear mental hurdle for Arizona Cardinals
Sep 22, 2014, 10:00 PM | Updated: 10:01 pm
TEMPE, Ariz. — The story of Tyrann Mathieu’s comeback from a devastating knee injury suffered late last year is inspirational in nature.
The tale of his return to the field, however, still needs time to be told.
A week after seeing just five snaps in a win over the New York Giants, Mathieu found himself on the field for three times that many snaps, finishing with six tackles, with one of them being for a loss.
But it was not exactly a banner performance for the second-year pro out of LSU.
“He was way too apprehensive and afraid he was going to cost us,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said Monday. “You could tell (by) the look in his eye.”
Mathieu agreed that while he thinks he was OK and is encouraged by his performance, he was not at his best in the 23-14 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
“At times, especially on the third downs,” Mathieu said. “On the one 4th-and-1 I thought I was playing a little lackadaisical, obviously, in my technique. Things I wouldn’t normally do.
“But like I’ve said, I’m still a few weeks away from being the guy I want to be, so I guess that confidence is going to come with time and just with more playing time.”
The fourth down play Mathieu is referring to came in the second quarter when 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick found receiver Stevie Johnson for a 6-yard gain when they only needed one.
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